United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) is a New York-based organization that aims to inform the public about the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ruling regime, including its intent to possess nuclear weapons, as well as Iran’s role as the world’s largest state sponsor of international terrorism and as a major violator of human rights.  ¹

Background

United Against Nuclear Iran is a New York-based national organization that aims to inform the public about the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ruling regime, including its intent to possess nuclear weapons, as well as Iran’s role as the world’s largest state sponsor of international terrorism and as major violator of human rights.  ¹

UANI says it aims to build programs and projects to heighten awareness of the danger the Iranian regime poses to the United States and the world. UANI publishes research and daily news summaries on issues related to Iran’s nuclear program and support for terrorism.  ¹

UANI says it focuses on educating the public, policymakers, and businesses about the danger of the Iranian regime. It supports programs to ensure the regime’s economic and diplomatic isolation until it abandons its nuclear weapons ambitions, stops supporting terrorism, and stops human rights violations. ²

Financial Backers

Thomas Kaplan, chairman of Tigris Financial and the Electrum Group, reportedly donated $843,000 to United Against Nuclear Iran over several years. Kaplan’s groups have reportedly employed Mark Wallace, the co-founder and CEO of UANI.  ³

The late casino mogul Sheldon Adelson reportedly provided the majority of the UANI funding before his death in 2021.  ³

Donors Trust, a right-leaning provider of donor-advised funds, contributed $3,685,000 to United Against Nuclear Iran in 2023.  ¹

The Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago contributed $7,000 to United Against Nuclear Iran in 2023.  ¹

History

In 2008, former U.S. Ambassadors Mark Wallace, Richard Holbrooke, and Dennis Ross founded United Against Nuclear Iran.  ⁴

 

The UANI board of advisors has consisted of former political, military, and intelligence officials from the United States and Europe. The past and present board members have included former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT), the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee; former U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL); Tamir Pardo, a former director of Israeli intelligence service Mossad; Field Marshal Lord Charles Guthrie, former chief of staff of the U.K. Armed Forces; John Bolton, former National Security Advisor and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; Robert Hill, former minister of Defense of Australia; and Irwin Cotler, former Canadian Minister of Justice and Attorney General.  ³

In August 2013, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said UANI was “the biggest active lobby against Iran.”  ⁴

After the Iran nuclear deal under the Obama administration, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, UANI launched an educational and advocacy campaign calling on international companies to not do business in Iran. ⁵

In November 2015, UANI sent a letter published in the Financial Times signed by dozens of defense and foreign policy experts calling on the global business community to consider the risks of business ties in Iran.  ⁵ In July 2016, UANI had sent more than 200 letters to companies exploring or engaged in business in Iran. ⁵

On September 19, 2016, UANI hosted its first Iran Conference. The third annual Iran Conference on September 25, 2018 marked the 10-year anniversary of the organization. Featured speakers included officials from the first Trump administration, including then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and then-National Security Adviser John Bolton.  ⁵

In 2019, the government of Iran designated UANI as a terrorist organization.  ³

In July 2025, UANI identified the Iranian government and clerics issuing a fatwa advocating for the torture and assassination of President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other political leaders. ⁶

CPAC Coordination

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) worked with United Against Nuclear Iran to establish CPAC for Iranians in exile, a group that aimed to provide Iranians with a space to oppose the Iranian dictatorship. The groups contend that when Iranian exiles can come together under one roof and interact with the U.S. government, it will be “the first day of the last days of the Iranian ayatollah’s barbaric regime.”  ⁷

Leaders of UANI and CPAC further asserted, “consolidation is precisely what the anti-American, Islamist tyrant Ali Khamenei and his band of terrorist thugs in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fear the most.” ⁷

The online platform for the group is CPAC.org/Iranians. As of 2026, the joint initiative is spearheaded by UANI CEO Mark D. Wallace and CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp. It aims to bring together activists, thinkers, artists, technocrats, and policymakers in solidarity for a democratic future in Iran. ⁸

Controversies

Victor Restis Suit

In 2014, United Against Nuclear Iran accused Greek shipping company chief Victor Restis of working with the Iranian government. Restis sued them for libel. Then-U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asked the judge to toss the case, asserting that it could expose key U.S. national security secrets. The judge dropped the case. Holder did not explain how the case could compromise secrets.  ³

The plaintiff, represented by high profile Washington lawyer Abbe Lowell, filed a petition for the Justice Department to explain how it would compromise government secrets. “I can’t remember another time in history when the government tried to blow up a lawsuit between two private parties without telling us why, even in broad, general terms,” said Ben Wizner, director of the American Civil Liberties Union privacy and technology division, in reference to the case. ⁹

MEK Alignment

In 2020, Michael Rubin, a senior fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, criticized United Against Nuclear Iran for aligning with the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK; also known as the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran), an Iranian opposition group that has merged Islamist and Marxist intellectual strains, into the umbrella of anti-regime opposition. Rubin wrote that MEK holds annual rallies and drew UANI board members as speakers such as then-UANI chairman Joe Lieberman, a former Democratic U.S. senator; first Trump administration National Security Adviser John Bolton; former George W. Bush administration counterterrorism official Frances Townsend; and former Clinton administration Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson. UANI founder and co-chairman Mark Wallace also appeared with the MEK, Rubin wrote. ¹⁰

Leadership

As of 2026, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (R) was the chairman of United Against Nuclear Iran. He served as Governor of Florida from 1999 through 2007, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. Bush was previously Florida’s Secretary of Commerce. He is also the founder and chairman of the Foundation for Excellence in Education. He was a presidential professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania, a visiting professor and fellow at Harvard University, and an executive professor at Texas A&M University. He was the chairman of the National Constitution Center from 2013 to 2015. ⁴

Mark Wallace is the founder and as of 2026 was the CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran. He is a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations for Management and Reform in the George W. Bush administration. He founded UANI in 2008. He is also the CEO of the Counter Extremism Project. At the time, he was the senior advisor to the Electrum Group LLC, a company owned by Thomas Kaplan.  ^{4  5}

As of 2026, Jason Brodsky is the policy director for United Against Nuclear Iran. He is affiliated with the Middle East Institute. He previously worked as a senior Middle East analyst and editor at Iran International TV. From 2013 to 2016, he worked for the Wilson Center. He also previously worked as a fellow at the White House in the Executive Office of the President. ⁴

As of 2026, Daniel Roth was the research director for United Against Nuclear Iran. Previously, he worked for Anglo Irish Bank and Deutsche Bank in London, England.  ⁴

As of 2026, Robert Benton was the general counsel for UANI.  ⁴

As of 2026, Kasra Aarabi was the director of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Research at United Against Nuclear Iran. Previously, he was the Iran Program Lead at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. He was also an advisor on Iran to the Executive Chairman, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.  ⁴

As of 2026, Alan Goldsmith was the advisor for policy and Washington outreach at UANI. He formerly worked for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, covering the Middle East and international organizations portfolios for then-Committee Chair Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and other Republican members of Congress. ⁴

As of 2026, Charlie Brown was a senior advisor to UANI. He has more than two decades of experience in maritime security, strategic risk, and intelligence, including roles in both the U.S. Navy and civilian government.  ⁴

1. “United Against Nuclear Iran.” Cause IQ. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/united-against-nuclear-iran,262387657/ 
2. “United Against Nuclear Iran.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://www.linkedin.com/company/united-against-nuclear-iran/ 
3. MacLeod, Alan. “United Against Nuclear Iran: The shadowy, Intelligence-linked group diving the U.S. towards war with Iran.” Monthly Review Online. January 16, 2024. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://mronline.org/2024/01/16/united-against-nuclear-iran/ 
4. “Leadership.” United Against Nuclear Iran. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/about/leadership 
5. “Mark Wallace.” United Against Nuclear Iran. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/people/mark-wallace 
6. Press Release. “UANI Reveals Iranian Regime Clerics and Entities Inciting the Crucifixion and Assassination of President Trump.” July 9, 2025. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/press-releases/uani-reveals-iranian-regime-clerics-and-entities-inciting-crucifixion-and 
7. Schlapp, Matt; Wallace, Mark D.; Kaplan, Thomas. “CPAC for Iranians in exile: Uniting for the downfall of the ayatollah.” Jerusalem Post. April 10. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-849449 
8. Press Release. “CPAC and UANI Launch CPAC for Iranians in Exile Website.” United Against a Nuclear Iran. May 23, 2025. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/press-releases/cpac-and-uani-launch-cpac-for-iranians-exile-website 
9. Redden, Molly. “The Justice Department Claims This Defamation Case Will Reveal State Secrets—But Won’t Say How.” Mother Jones. September 19, 2014. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/09/eric-holder-state-secrets-defamation-lawsuit-iran/ 
10. Rubin, Michael. “Poor Judgment Will Undermine United Against Nuclear Iran’s Effectiveness.” American Enterprise Institute (via Washington Examiner). July 23, 2020. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://www.aei.org/op-eds/poor-judgment-will-undermine-united-against-nuclear-irans-effectiveness/